* Posts by aptanet

2 publicly visible posts • joined 14 Feb 2014

Windows 10 S: Good, bad, and how this could get ugly for PC makers

aptanet

Re: Blanket Laptops.....

I was picturing the old 70s Ford Cortinas, etc. with their peeling vinyl roof looking old and sad very quickly. Either that or coffee stains that can't be easily cleaned off, although I guess for the larger spill it may well soak it up before it gets to the innards.

You’re NOT fired: The story of Amstrad’s amazing CPC 464

aptanet

Re: Add-ons

Ah the Rombo ROM box, I think that was the killer feature on the Amstrad for me. I upgraded from a Spectrum having decided there was no way I could afford an Amiga, and after evaluating the C64, BBC Micro and Atari the Amstrad represented better value (since I wanted a monitor it was noteably cheaper than the other platforms - factoring in Simons BASIC for the C64). I upgraded my CPC 464 with a disc drive and Protext on cartridge (well, a circuit board with a single ROM on sticking out the back!). Then the Amstrad became the only non PC platform I upgraded and retained compatibility with. I bought a CPC 6128 with second disc drive and ROMBO ROM box, maxed out with Protext, Prodata, Promerge, Prospell, Maxam and BCPL. That lot, the CP/M 2.2 Logo and a copy of Borland Turbo Pascal on 3" disc played a big part in getting me through my degree in the days when getting access to a computer outside the hour at a time booking of the Uni ones was a luxury. I still have my CPC 6128 and associated add-ons. Amstrad really did step in a sum up the best of the 8 bit machines (for most users) - kept me going until I could afford my Amiga.